Blue Bird or Bluebird is the name of various cars and boats used by Sir Malcolm Campbell, his son Donald and other family members to set land and water speed records.
Malcolm Campbell had a succession of Darracq racing cars in the 1920s, which in the fashion of the day he had named 'Flapper I' , 'Flapper II' and 'Flapper III' . It was 'Flapper III' which he renamed after seeing the play, famously and impetuously knocking up a paint shop owner at night, so as to purchase blue paint before racing at Brooklands the following day.[2]
In 1925, he also raced an Itala at Brooklands with the name 'The Blue Bird' painted on the bonnet.[3]
Bluebird or Blue Bird?
Malcolm Campbell named them "Blue Bird", Donald "Bluebird".
The hydroplane K4 began life as Malcolm's "Blue Bird", but when Donald decided to use her in 1949, after his father's death, he renamed her "Bluebird".[2]
Cars
Sir Malcolm Campbell
Sunbeam 350HP: 1923 (renamed after Campbell's purchase)
Donald Wales, grandson of Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, has contested the world electric powered land speed record. He was also the test driver for the British Steam CarInspiration,[4] which broke the steam-powered land speed record. He was also the driver for Project Runningblade,[5] setting the world land speed record for a lawnmower.
^Scott A. G. M. Crawford, "Campbell, Sir Malcolm (1885–1948)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 25 July 2008
^ abTremayne, David (2005). Donald Campbell: The Man Behind the Mask. Bantam Books. ISBN0-553-81511-3.
^Leo Villa and Kevin Desmond (1979). Life with the Speed King. London: Marshall Harris & Baldwin. ISBN0-906116-06-6.
^Steam car record tests completed BBC News, 1 April 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2021
^Lawn mower man eyes speed record BBC News, 1 December 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2021
External links
Bluebird Electric
Bluebird Project
"Race For Higher Speed On Land and in Air" Popular Mechanics, March 1933
March 12, 2023
list, bluebird, record, breaking, vehicles, blue, bird, bluebird, name, various, cars, boats, used, malcolm, campbell, donald, other, family, members, land, water, speed, records, contents, origins, name, bluebird, blue, bird, cars, malcolm, campbell, donald, . Blue Bird or Bluebird is the name of various cars and boats used by Sir Malcolm Campbell his son Donald and other family members to set land and water speed records Contents 1 Origins of the name 2 Bluebird or Blue Bird 3 Cars 3 1 Sir Malcolm Campbell 3 2 Donald Campbell 3 3 Donald Wales 4 Boats 4 1 Sir Malcolm Campbell 4 2 Donald Campbell 4 3 Gina Campbell 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksOrigins of the name EditThe name Blue Bird was originally inspired by the play of that name by Maurice Maeterlinck 1 and the vehicles were painted a shade of azure blue Malcolm Campbell had a succession of Darracq racing cars in the 1920s which in the fashion of the day he had named Flapper I Flapper II and Flapper III It was Flapper III which he renamed after seeing the play famously and impetuously knocking up a paint shop owner at night so as to purchase blue paint before racing at Brooklands the following day 2 In 1925 he also raced an Itala at Brooklands with the name The Blue Bird painted on the bonnet 3 Bluebird or Blue Bird EditMalcolm Campbell named them Blue Bird Donald Bluebird The hydroplane K4 began life as Malcolm s Blue Bird but when Donald decided to use her in 1949 after his father s death he renamed her Bluebird 2 Cars EditSir Malcolm Campbell Edit Sunbeam 350HP 1923 renamed after Campbell s purchase Chrysler Six Model B 70 1925 Napier Campbell Blue Bird 1927 1928 Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird 1931 1932 Campbell Railton Blue Bird 1933 1935Donald Campbell Edit Bluebird Proteus CN7 Bluebird CMN 8 never builtDonald Wales Edit This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Donald Wales grandson of Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell has contested the world electric powered land speed record He was also the test driver for the British Steam Car Inspiration 4 which broke the steam powered land speed record He was also the driver for Project Runningblade 5 setting the world land speed record for a lawnmower Bluebird Electric 2Boats EditSir Malcolm Campbell Edit Blue Bird K3 Blue Bird K4Donald Campbell Edit Bluebird K7 replica at the Tatton Park Flower Show 2009 Bluebird K4 renamed in 1949 destroyed in 1951 Bluebird K7 1955 1967Gina Campbell Edit Gina Campbell daughter of Donald Campbell has contested the women s world water speed record Agfa BluebirdSee also EditBluebird of Chelsea Bluebird Garage List of vehicle speed recordsReferences Edit Scott A G M Crawford Campbell Sir Malcolm 1885 1948 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press Sept 2004 online edn May 2006 accessed 25 July 2008 a b Tremayne David 2005 Donald Campbell The Man Behind the Mask Bantam Books ISBN 0 553 81511 3 Leo Villa and Kevin Desmond 1979 Life with the Speed King London Marshall Harris amp Baldwin ISBN 0 906116 06 6 Steam car record tests completed BBC News 1 April 2009 Retrieved 25 July 2021 Lawn mower man eyes speed record BBC News 1 December 2009 Retrieved 25 July 2021External links EditBluebird Electric Bluebird Project Race For Higher Speed On Land and in Air Popular Mechanics March 1933 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of Bluebird record breaking vehicles amp oldid 1077510922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
